WQED Multimedia: Pittsburgh History Series: Cathedral of Learning's Nationality Rooms

Explore the Nationality Rooms

Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh

The story of the Nationality Rooms and Cathedral of Learning

Nationality Room Symbol Search:

Online game (requires version 4 or better browser)
Print-clip-and-go cards to take with you on a visit to the Rooms
Classroom directions in Creating Community section

Symbol-Eyes follow-up activity (coming in The Arts section)

On the web:

Nationality Rooms web site
Also at the Cathedral of Learning:
- Center for American Music at the Stephen Foster Memorial
- Heinz Memorial Chapel

Related video:

Heinz Memorial Chapel

When the University of Pittsburgh's Chancellor John G. Bowman had the 42-story Cathedral of Learning built in the 1920s and 1930s, he invited the ethnic groups of Pittsburgh to participate in a novel way: by sponsoring and building classrooms that represent their cultures at their highest level of achievement in authentic styles and materials.

Committees of dedicated volunteers for each of the original Nationality Rooms raised money to pay for these unique contributions to a university they hoped would someday educate their children and grandchildren. Help came from overseas as word spread about these rooms and some governments even provided architects, artists, and materials to make certain their rooms were of the highest quailty and authentic to their traditions.

Nineteen rooms were completed between 1938 and 1957 -- they surround the Commons Room on the Cathedral's first floor. Seven more rooms were dedicated between 1987 and 2000. Four more are in the proposal stage. The newer rooms are being built on the third floor. All are symbols of the cultural diversity of our region and the richness that every culture contributes to the mix.

Rooms built 1938-1957	Rooms added 1987-2000	Proposed Rooms
Chinese Classroom Czechoslovak Classroom English Classroom French Classroom German Classroom Greek Classroom Hungarian Classroom Indian Classroom Irish Classroom Italian Classroom Lithuanian Classroom Norwegian Classroom Polish Classroom Romanian Classroom Russian Classroom Scottish Classroom Swedish Classroom Syria-Lebanon Room Yugoslav Classroom Early American Room	African Heritage Classroom Armenian Classroom Austrian Nationality Room Israel Heritage Classroom Japanese Nationality Room Ukrainian Classroom	Phillipine Latin American Danish Swiss

To schedule a tour of the Nationality Rooms, call 412-624-6000.

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Creating Community Activities

Symbol Search online game

Pittsburgh History Series Teacher's Guide

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